Box-strap tightening device



July 3, 1928. 1,675,420

s. w. PARSONS BOX STRAP TIGHTENING DEVICE Filed March 26, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l V N H v July 3, 1928.

v 1.675,420 s. w. PARSONS BOX STRAP TIGHTENING DEVICE Filed March 2 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 g W N muimu:

anwnkn Patented July 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STUART W. PARSONS, 0F NEW 'BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNQB TO,THE STANLEY WORKS, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

B x- T TIGHTENITNG DEVICE- strap may be tightly drawnabout the loOX which it is applied, saidmeans being in the form of a pinion meshingwith the rack and an oscillating handle provided with a pawl or dog cooperating with the pinion.

An aim of the. invention is to provide. a strap tightener of this sort which has vari ous features of novelty and advantage and which is particularly characterized by its simplicity and economy in structure, its'effectiveness in operation, audits strength and durability. i

More particularly, the aim of the invention is to provide a box-straptightener,'the various elements of which are simple in structure andmay be easily assembled.

A further aim of the invention is to provide a tightener of this type wherein the pawls which cooperate with the tightener are so constructed and arranged that theywill effectively perform their ofiices and will stand up under the strains and stresses to which they are subjected when the device is in use.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out; more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features ofconstruction, combination of elemenis and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope .of the application of which will .be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein Ihave shown, for illustrative purposes, one

embodiment which the present invention may take: a Figure 1 lsa side elevational view of my improved tightener;

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional.

view taken substantially on line 2-2 of F s l;

Fig. 3 is alongitudinal sectional view taken substantially on line33 ofFig. 2;

irFig. lisa top plan View of the device with the handle cut away alongthe line 45-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view of one end of the device; and Y 'ig.'6 is a viewof the otherend of the device.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A designates the frame, having a longitudinally extending groove 10 in which the rack bar B-fits for sliding movement. J onrnalled on a stud orbolt 11 and Within the frame is a pinion 12 meshing with the teeth on the rack B. D designates generally a handle journa'lled on: the bolt 11: for oscillating movement and this handle carries a pawl 13 which rotates the pinion12 in a direction to tighten the strap when the handle is swung downwardly and rearwardly frointhe position shown .in Fig. 3 to that shownin Fig. 1. Pivoted on the frame, forwardly of the pin ion, isia pawl 14 which looks the pinion against rotation; and thus holds the rack bar against movement while the handle is being moved on its. upward or inoperativestroke. Carried loy the frame A is a clamp or jaw member .15 adapted to be moved into and out of clamping position by a handle 16. On the forward end of the rack bar is a support .E which carries a clamp or jaw member, l 'fladap ed t0 bemovedinto and out of clamping position bya handle 18.

Referring more specifically .to the construction of :the frame A, this frame comw prises three parts;.namely, a base plate 20, provided on its upper surface with longitudinallyextending ribs 21, 22 and .23. This base plate also hasa lateral extension 24 between which and the clamp 15, one end of the strap S is adapted to be clamped as shown moreiclearly in Fig. 1. The frame hasapair. of side members 26 and 27. .The lower corners of; the side member 26 are rabbeted so as to provide a tongue 28 which fits in between the ribs 21 and 22 with the resultthatthe member 26 is held in proper relation to the base plate. The inner lower corner ofthe member 27 is also rabbeted so as to receive the rib 23 on the base plate. The member 27 has a pair of lateral extensions 29 which form the upper surface of the slot 10 in which the rack bar B is mounted, and these extensions maintain the members 26 and 27 in proper spaced relation. Extending through the members 26 and 27, and clamping these members together, is the bolt 11 which forms a bearing for the pinion 12 and the handle D. In the present illustrative disclosure, a sleeve 30 is interposed between the bolt and the pinion. The side members and the base plate may be secured together by screws 31.

The handle D is very simply and strongly made of the three parts comprising a grip or handle portion proper 35 and a pair of side plates 36, 36. The grip portion may be made of aluminum or other material and the side plates 36, 36 of sheet metal. The edges of the side plates are bent over at right angles so as to form flanges 37 which reinforce the side plates and cause them to retain the shape shown. The upper end of the plates receive the lower end of the handle, and the parts may be secured together by welding or by rivets 38. The side plates for the handle constitute a housing for the pawl 13 and serve to partially conceal and protect the pinion and pawls.

The pawl 13 is pivoted on a pin 40 carried by the handle and is normally urged into engagement with the pinion by a spring 41. The tooth 42 of the pawl 13 is so constructed that, when the handle is moved on its operative stroke, that is rearwardly and downwardly, the pawl will rotate the pinion in a direction to move the clamping members 15 and 17 toward one another thereby tightening the strap, and when thehandle is moved on its inoperative stroke, that is forwardly and upwardly, the pawl will ride over the teeth of the pinion. The pivoted end of the pawl is bifurcated to provide a pair of arms 43 between which is accommodated the spring 41. The pivoted end of the pawl 13 (that is, the forward ends of the arms 43) is rounded concentrically to the pivot pin 40. The numeral 44 designates a cam surface on the pawl 13.

The pawl 14 is pivoted on a pin 46 carried by the frame just forwardly of the pinion. A spring 60 is associated with the pawl 14. This pawl has a tooth or projection 47 which holds the pinion against rotation during the inoperative stroke of the handle. The tooth 47 will ride over the teeth of the pinion during the operative stroke of the handle. The free end of the pawl 14 has a notch 43 curved correspondingly to and adapted to receive the rounded pivoted end of the pawl 13 when the handle is moved to the full upright position shown in Fig. 3 and to which position it is moved when it is desired to remove the device after the strap has been secured in place, as hereinafter described in detail. The free end of the pawl has a pair of fingers 49 and 50, the latter being adapted to engage the cam surface 44 of the pawl 13 when the handle is raised to the full upright position shown in Fig. 3.

The clamp 15 is adapted to cooperate with the extension 24 so as to clamp one end of the strap S to the frame A. This clamp has a curved serrated or knurled face 51 so as to obtain a good bite on the strap. The clamp is fixed to a pin 52 journalled in the frame and this pin has the handle 16. In the present instance the pin and handle are formed integrally from a piece of round stock.

The support E comprises two parts, namely, a base plate 55 and a casting 56, these parts being secured together and to the forward end of the rack bar by suitable screws 57. The base plate 55 has an extension 58 with which the clamp 17 is adapted to cooperate. This clamp is similar to the clamp 15. The clamp 17 is fixed to the pin 59 having the handle 18.

The operation of the device is briefly as follows: The strap S is wrapped around the box and the opposite ends of the strap are clamped to the frame A and the support E by the respective clamps 15 and 17 The handle D is then moved up and down and on the up or inoperative stroke, the pawl 13 will ride over the teeth of the pinion while the pawl 14 holds the pinion against rotation, thus preventing the clamps from being drawn apart by the tension of the strap during the inoperative stroke of the handle. On the downward stroke of the 'handle'the pawl 13 causes the pinion to rotate in a direction to move the clamping members15 and 17 towards each other thereby drawing the strap tightly around the box. \Vhile the handle is being moved forwardly the pawl 14 will ride over the teeth of the pinion. During the operation of tightening the strap about the box, the handle is not moved to its full upright position so that the pawls 13 and 14 are not brought into engagement. However, after the strap has been suificiently tightened and the overlapping ends thereof have been sealed or connected together by the usual sealing devices, the handle is moved to the full upright position shown in Fig. 3 with the result that the pivoted end of the pawl 13 engages the finger 49 of the pawl 14 thereby. moving the pawl 14 out of engagement with the pinion. Also, the finger 50 moves and holds the pawl 13 out of engagement with the pinion. The clamps 15 and 17 may now be swung out of clamping relation to the strap. It will be noted that the pivoted end of the pawl 13 engages in the curved notch 48 of the pawl 14, thereby limiting the extent of movement of the lUt) L'il

handle. Also, when-,thepawls are brought into engagement with one another, 7 the strams on the pawls are so directed and d1sposed that breakage of the pawls'is avolded.

As many changes could be made in the above construction Hand many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is in tended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim as my invention: 7

1. In a box strap tightener, a frame, a rack bar slidably mounted therein, a pivoted clamping member on said frame for holding one end of the strap, a pivoted clamping member carried by said rack bar for holding the other end of the strap, a pinion rotatably mounted in said frame and mesh ing with said rack bar, a handle pivoted in said frame for oscillatory movement, a spring-pressed pawl pivoted on said handle and adapted to cooperate with said pinion, the pivoted end of said pawl being rounded to provide a seating surface for the pawl, and a pawl pivoted on said frame and cooperating with said pinion to hold the same against rotation during the inoperative stroke of said handle, said last mentioned pawl having on its free end a pair of fingers with a notch therebetween rounded correspondingly to and adapted to receive said seating surface of the ivoted end of said first mentioned pawl and provide a stop and a support for the same and said handle, the

rounded end of said first mentioned pawl being adapted to engage one of said fingers to movethe second mentioned pawl out of engagement with said pinion and said first mentioned pawl having a cam surface with which the other of said fingers engages to move and hold said first mentioned pawl out of operative relation to said pinion when said handle is moved to the full extent of its inoperative stroke.

2. In a box strap tightener, a frame having a pair of spaced apart side portions, a rack bar slidably mounted in said frame, means on said frame for clamping one end of the strap, means carried by said rack bar for clamping the other end of the strap, a pivot member extending through said side portions, a pinion rotatably supported on said pivot member and meshing with said rack bar, a handle pivoted on said pivot member and including a grip portion and a pair of sheet metal side plates secured thereto and straddling said pinion, a pivoted pawl carriediby said handle between said side plates and cooperating with said pinion on the operative stroke of said handle, and a pawl pivoted on said frame for holding said pinion against rotation on the inoperative stroke of said handle, said pawls being arran ed to engage and move one another out of operative relation to said pinion when the handle ismoved to the end of its inoperative stroke and to limit the extent of movement of said handle on said inoperative stroke.

3. A box strap tightener, a frame, a rack bar slidably mounted therein, a support on one end of said rack bar, a pivoted member on said frame for holding one end of the strap, a pivoted member on said support for clamping the other end of the strap, a pivot member carried by said frame, a pinion rotatably mounted in said frame and meshing with said rack bar, a handle pivoted on said pivot member and comprising a grip portion and a pair of side plates secured thereto and straddling said pinion, said side plates having their side edges inturned; a pivoted pawl carried by said handle between said side plates and cooperating with said pinion on the operative stroke of said handle, and a pawl carried by said frame adapted to hold said pinion against rotation on the inoperative stroke of said handle.

4. In a box strap tightener; a frame comprising a base plate having ribs on its upper face and a lateral extension and a pair of side plates interlocking with said ribs, one of said side plates having extensions engaging the other of said side plates; a rack bar slidably mounted in said frame between said side plates, a pivoted clamping jaw adapted to cooperate with said extension to clamp one end of the strap to said frame, a support fixed to said rack bar, a pivoted clamping member carried by said rack bar for holding the other end of the strap, a bolt passing through said side plates and securing the same together, a pinion journalled on said bolt and meshing with said rack bar, a handle pivoted on said bolt, a

pawl carried by said handle and cooperating with said pinion on the operative stroke of said handle, and a pawl pivoted. on said frame and cooperating with said pinion to hold the same against rotation during the inoperative stroke of said handle.

5. In a box strap tightener, a frame, a rack bar slidably mounted therein, a pivoted clamping member on said frame for holding one end of the strap, a pivoted clamping member carried by said rack bar for holding the other end of the strap, a pinion rotatably mounted in said frame and meshing with said rack bar, a handle pivoted in said frame for oscillatory movement, a

spring-pressed pawl pivoted on said handle and adapted to cooperate with said pinion, and a second spring-pressed pawl on said frame for interlocking engagement with the 5 pinion, said second pawl having at its free end a notch, the inner wall of which conforms to said seating surface of the first pawl for receiving the same to stop the swinging of the handle and support the same by a direct line thrust through said 10 second pawl between the pivotal supports of both of the pawls.

STUART WV. PARSONS. 

